The Warren City Council adopted the city's first anti-discrimination ordinance with a vote of 6-1 for the new ordinance.
According to the council, Warren Mayor Jim Fouts will not veto the ordinance, and it will take effect once it's published by the city clerk.
The ordinance was first proposed by Council President Patrick Green after organizers of a Bangladeshi American Festival said their event couldn't happen after originally planning and agreeing to the event.
The Bangladeshi Association of Michigan spoke during a public meeting in April, and after hearing complaints, the council also decided it should create an anti-discrimination ordinance after seeing there wasn't one in the city.
The city said the ordinance prohibits discrimination based on age, color, disability, education, familial status, gender expression, gender identity, height, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or weight. Discrimination is prohibited based on employment, housing, public accommodations, and public services. Councilman Eddie Kabacinski was the sole vote in opposition of the ordinance.
“I commend my colleagues for joining me to swiftly pass this long-overdue legislation that brings Warren into the 21st century. This ordinance will help us increase the transparency and accountability that our residents and businesses expect from city government. There is simply no excuse for the third largest city in Michigan not to have an anti-discrimination law," Green said in a statement.
"This law is long overdue. As an advocate for the disabled in our community, I am pleased that we have additional tools to protect our most vulnerable residents that face hurdles and discrimination every day of their lives," Council Secretary Mindy Moore added in a statement.
